


Spark of My Spark:  Homecoming

by Skywinder



Series: Shadows of the Past [4]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-War, Returning Home, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 03:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3834778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skywinder/pseuds/Skywinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starscream returns to Vos after his release from prison...and gets his first inklings that some things may not be run away from so easily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spark of My Spark:  Homecoming

* * *

_A secret is a kind of promise.... It can also be a prison._ – Jennifer Lee Carrell, _Interred With Their Bones_

* * *

_Huracan has done well for himself_ , Starscream thought idly as he walked through the halls of the rebuilt clan house towards the room that had been assigned to him, his gaze drifting over the walls.

He had to admit it, in spite of his envy.

Starscream had learned through the various communications with his _cognitos_ Metalhawk that their eldest _cognitos_ , Huracan, had taken over as head of the family after his Sire's death in exile, something later confirmed by the sea-green Seeker himself when Huracan finally spoke with him. During the conversations, Huracan had mentioned he'd rebuilt the clan house, and that it was far brighter and grander than before, thanks to the trade that Vos had engaged in over the vorns.

Looking at the images which had greeted him in the entranceway when he'd arrived, Starscream found he couldn't disagree. Gone were the ancient holoimages of long-dead ancestors and a dark gray hall. Now, there were paintings of legends from both Cybertronian and Vosian history: Onyx Prime assisting in the downfalls of the dark Primes Megatronus and Liege Maximo, scenes from First Seeker Skyshard's life, scenes from the First Great War...

The halls were lined with holoimages that had survived both the destruction of Vos and the long exodus, but the walls they hung on had been painted in the Windflare colors of silver and gold, and electric candelieres hung in-between these images. When the images no longer appeared, there were some intricately-etched scenes similar to the ones that were painted in the great hall.

Metalhawk had mentioned that Huracan had done well for himself as one of the Advisors to the Winglord, and looking at all of this, Starscream couldn't disagree. Windflare had always been a prolific clan in terms of Creations, but had never been quite so wealthy. And the Elders of the clan at the time of Starscream's Sparkling and younglinghood would certainly have never allowed such a display of ostentation even if they _had_ been.

Starscream broke himself out of his musings as he arrived at his quarters. His optics widened fractionally. He'd expected that Huracan would install him in a smaller room, considering he was of a cadet branch of the family, not to mention the fact that they'd never really gotten along well even _before_ he'd joined the Decepticons. Although there _had_ been the time right after...

With a growl, Starscream pushed away the memories that were starting to creep in and forced himself to focus on the room, a far larger one than he'd expected to see. It was painted gold, with a large window and balcony overlooking the plains at the edge of the city and the cliffs beyond. There was also a large copper chest along one wall (which looked as though it would fit the containers that Skyfire had given him very easily) next to a somewhat ornate looking desk and chair. The berth, from its appearance, was exactly his size, and seemed to be of a somewhat more...flexible...metal, the tri-color thought, as he pushed down on the top after taking a closer look.

All in all, it certainly wasn't what Starscream had been expecting when he returned...

"He thought you might prefer something more comfortable after having lived in cramped quarters for so long."

The unexpected voice had Starscream turning around with a jolt, to see a purple and teal femme Seeker standing in the doorway, gazing at him neutrally.

Before he could reply, she continued as she stepped into the room. "He did the same thing for me and Sunstorm when we got out. Said something about how we'd been punished enough, and our clan numbers were too low to hold any grudges over the choices we all made in the past." She shrugged. "Couldn't disagree."

Starscream grimaced. Neither could he, put that way, considering that there were only he and his two siblings, Metalhawk, Silverracer, Whitewind, Huracan and Huracan's Sire Jorian left of the main family after the attack on Vos. Jorian's death reduced that number by one, and even with his cognitoses later taking mates and having Creations, it only brought the total of the clan to twenty-three. And none of those Creations were old enough to have their own Creations just yet. A far cry from the orns when there had once been more than three hundred living in the clan house at one time. Starscream suspected that Huracan would be pushing for he and his siblings to increase their numbers soon enough. He frowned at the thought.

Huracan was not going to like what Starscream would tell him, of that he was sure.

"So why didn't you bring him with you?"

Starscream froze at his sibling's question. "Excuse me?"

Slipstream's neutral expression shifted to an annoyed one. "You know who I'm talking about," she snapped. "We heard about his being awake. Kind of hard to miss the gossip about a shuttle by the name of Skyfire who'd turned traitor. We told Huracan about his being alive when we got back to Vos. He expected you to come back with him," she finished.

Starscream cursed inwardly. He shouldn't have forgotten that little detail, that his siblings would have heard about Skyfire's revival and would more than likely have filled Huracan in about him along with Starscream's own survival and imprisonment.

Yes, Huracan _definitely_ wasn't going to like what Starscream had to say regarding his mate.

He turned and walked over to the window, gazing out upon the scenery outside. After a klik or two, he finally replied, "It is ended with him, 'Stream."

Shock passed over his Co-Creation's face. "What?"

He turned around with a snarl. "You heard me. I left him behind in Iacon. I told him not to follow me or communicate with me." The tri-color turned back around to face the outside. "He didn't argue."

Slipstream frowned. "Did you ever tell him...?" She stopped as she noticed her sibling's wings tense up. "You didn't, did you?"

Starscream shook his head. "No," he whispered.

"Damn it, Starscream," she said angrily. "He's got a right to know what happened!"

Starscream growled and whirled around, his face twisted in anger now. "He deserves better than that!" he snapped back. "I won't let him be hurt with that knowledge!"

The teal Seeker shook her head in frustration. "And you think that ending things with him _didn't_ hurt him?! For Primus' sake, Starscream...!"

"What is going on here?"

Both Seekers glanced over towards the doorway at the sound of the new voice. Standing there was a dark blue and gold Seeker, more streamlined than either Starscream or Slipstream, holding a box.

"Metalhawk," Starscream began cautiously, uncertain of just how much the other had heard, and not quite sure how to explain things.

Slipstream, however, had no such qualms. "Dumbaft here decided to keep his mate in the dark and made him stay in Iacon, that's what's going on!" she spat, turning her head back to glare at her co-creation.

Starscream glared back at the femme. "Very mature, Slipstream," he snapped at his Co-Creation.

Metalhawk, however, just raised a browridge and looked at his near-age _cognitos_. "While I do agree that she could have perhaps chosen her words better, is she speaking the truth, Starscream? Have you separated from your mate?"

Starscream turned his head slowly towards the other mech, his face becoming a mask. "And if I did?" he said flatly. "What business is it of anyone's besides myself? Or Skyfire, for that matter?"

"Huracan will make it his business," the blue and gold Seeker said dryly. "He wishes to build the clan up again, and not just in standing. He feels our numbers, while perhaps sustainable, are still too low."

Starscream just stared at the other Seeker. "You're serious," he said after a moment.

Slipstream snorted. "Metalhawk is putting it nicely," she replied to Starscream's comment. "Huracan's been trying to convince me to find a mate and he's been trying to get Sunstorm a dispensation from his duties as a priest of Primus to create at least one Sparkling. He feels that while his and the others' family lines are secure, the three of us need to secure our own."

Starscream grimaced. It seemed he was going to be dealing with the situation sooner than he thought if Huracan was already dealing with his siblings in this matter. He'd known this would happen, just had hoped it wouldn't be this soon.

He was going to need to get out of here as quickly as he could manage.

Aloud, he replied only, "She is speaking the truth." He wouldn't lie to Metalhawk, the mech he'd grown up with, played with as a Sparkling, who'd seen him at his worst moment once upon a time...

Metalhawk's face became grim. "May I ask why?"

When Starscream didn't answer, the other mech sighed. "Starscream, both your siblings spoke of how Skyfire visited you in the prison, that he seemed willing to let go of whatever happened between you before. Why did you walk away from him? And why, if I might ask, did you keep silent?"

Starscream looked away, then walked over to the window, reluctant to answer.

"Starscream," his age-mate said quietly. "Why?"

Starscream just gazed out the window for a long moment, Metalhawk and Slipstream just watching in silence. Finally, the tri-color jet turned back to face the other two, his optics bright with emotion. "Because the truth would hurt him more than anything else I could say or do to him," he replied flatly. "Because he would hate me if he ever learned what happened."

"You don't know that will happen..," Slipstream began, only to be cut off by a glare from her elder sibling.

"And you don't know that it won't!" he spat back.

"He forgave you for your actions in the war," Metalhawk pointed out. "Or he wouldn't have come to visit you in the prison. He wouldn't have kept the possessions you gained during the war safe."

Starscream flinched at the reminder, but his expression didn't change.

"Some things aren't forgiveable. And he won't ever understand. Won't ever _want_ to understand," he stated harshly.

Slipstream opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by Metalhawk shaking his head. 

"Very well," the blue and gold mech said. "We'll let it go, for now. But you will have to tell Huracan all this."

Starscream looked away now. "That is my problem, then, isn't it?" was all he replied.

"Indeed," was all his _cognitos_ replied. He walked over to the desk and set the box he'd been holding upon it. Then, he turned to face the tri-color. "These are the possessions of yours that survived the attack on Vos. The items you asked us to protect."

Starscream's optics widened. After all that had happened, he hadn't even dared to hope...

"They survived?" he whispered.

"You doubted we would be able to protect them?" was the dry response.

"It wasn't that," Starscream replied softly. "It was just...so much can happen during so long a time..." his voice trailed off.

Metalhawk frowned for a moment, then nodded, a sad expression replacing the frown. "Understandable, then," he said, not unkindly. Turning to the third Seeker in the room, he said simply, "Come, Slipstream. We should leave Starscream alone for now. He could likely use some rest after his journey here."

Slipstream seemed like she was about to argue, then she glanced at her sibling, who was now staring at that box as though it was the only thing in the room. She nodded slowly and then turned and left the room.

Metalhawk turned to follow her, only pausing for a moment to say one last thing. "Silverracer asked me to let you know that she found a job opening she thought would suit you, and would like to speak with you concerning it after the evening cycle meal."

Starscream broke his gaze away from the box just briefly at Metalhawk's words. "Send her my thanks, and let her know if you would that I will speak to her at that time," he whispered.

The blue and gold Seeker nodded, and left the room then, closing the door behind him.

Once he was alone, Starscream walked over to the desk and opened the box.

Inside were the few Academy awards he'd been able to salvage, along with a few little trinkets and other items that meant much to him.

It was at these items he gazed at the longest. His optics brightened as he stared at them. 

_Thank you, Metalhawk_ , he thought. _If I'd lost these forever..._ And it had come so close to such a thing happening once before when the attack came...

A few moments later, he replaced everything in the box and walked over to the chest.

He opened it, and gently placed the small container inside, followed by the containers Skyfire had brought to him in Iacon.

When he was done, he closed the chest and walked over to the window and stared outside for a long time.

This was for the best, Starscream told himself once more as he stared unseeingly at the scenery. Skyfire would move on, he would be _happy_ eventually. He'd realize that his Conjunx was right to end things...

Wasn't he?

Starscream shook his head as he backed away from the window and closed the curtains. No, he couldn't let himself doubt his actions. He'd made his choice and would have to learn to live with the consequences of it. 

After all, it wouldn't be the first time, he thought bitterly.

Starscream walked over to the berth and lay down, staring at the ceiling for a long time before cycling into recharge, pondering the day cycle's events. Finally, he shook his head, and let himself power down. He had a new life to prepare for now, and had no time to waste focusing on what could have been or no longer was.

_I'll be fine. As long as I don't see him again, I'll be fine._

Starscream carried that thought with him into recharge.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd initially had no plans on making Spark of My Spark a series. But when I thought about some of the details I was going to be introducing later (including characters and terms), not to mention that Starscream won't be making an appearance again right away, I wanted to give an idea of what he had returned to. I'll be expanding on his life in the main story, but wanted to make sure that some of the things he will reference will be understood.
> 
> No other side-stories will be following this one.
> 
> Explanation of Terms:  
> After coming up with the terms Beta- & Gamma- to describe a 2nd and 3rd generation creator or co-creator, something else occurred to me. Mainly the fact that there were no Cybertronian terms for niece, nephew or cousin. So I did some thinking and after bouncing an idea off of a friend, came up with terms for them, derived from Latin and given my own twists.
> 
>  _Nexphos_ \- Nephew  
>  _Nextis_ \- Niece  
>  _Cognitos_ \- Cousin
> 
> While some might ask why I just didn't use the other terms, my answer would be this: while Earth might have influenced Cybertronian terms after contact was made with them during the war, Cybertronians would not have called their family members by human terms before this. And certainly even after the war, any Cybertronians who'd not had contact with Earth wouldn't refer to their family by human terms. So this is my compromise.
> 
> If anyone wishes to use them, please ask before doing so.


End file.
